Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21, 22 NIV)
What is the worst thing anyone ever did to you? Have you forgiven them yet? What if they did it to you again? How often could you forgive them?
Jesus seems to expect the impossible here. But it is important to remember that he willingly gave his life to make up for all our sins against God. So how is this degree of forgiveness even possible for the rest of us?!
First of all, forgiveness is not foolishness and it is not forgetfulness. It is a choice to heal and to let go of bitterness, anger and resentment. It is a decision to move past hurt. And I believe it is available to us when we really need to grant it, only through prayer. What we need is a heart willing to forgive the unforgivable.
Today, I will pray for the willingness to forgive others as I have been forgiven my own unforgivable actions.
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